One of the early structures built on the new post was a 102 foot Kentucky limestone water tower. Within the tower is a 100,000 gallon standpipe that stores water and supplies water pressure for the post. The tower was a fortress like structure built in 1890 at a cost of $10,995. The tower has been embellished over the years with plaques and a set of cannons commemorating various war heroes, battles and wars.

Other permanent structures on the post included two sets of officer housing (Greene Street and Alexander Circle), a large brick barracks building, NCO quarters, a brick mess hall and a large brick armory building. Temporary housing and barracks supplemented the permanent structures during the World War I and World War II expansions.

Fort Thomas first served as a replacement for Newport Barracks (2) and over the years it served as a replacement depot, induction center and military hospital before closing in 1946.

Current Status

Most of the post was taken over by the VA Hospital and the City of Fort Thomas. The U.S. Army Reserves and the U.S. Corps of Engineers also maintain facilities on the post.

The officer quarters on Greene Street were privatized and sold to individuals in 1992, creating an upscale "Military Commons". These homes have been modernized internally with the exteriors kept keeping their 1890s look. The officer quarters on Alexander Circle remain unoccupied and deteriorating. The large brick barracks is now part of the VA complex and the brick mess hall is a community center.